Part 26 (1/2)

'They'll take her if I tell them they have to take her, or they don't get Michael,' Joseph said.

Katherine wasn't so sure about Joseph's logic, especially since she didn't know how they were even going to convince Michael to do the tour.

If Joseph couldn't represent LaToya, then he wanted to be sure no one else could, either. 'In other words, he was saying I'd never get anywhere on my own,' LaToya recalled, 'and he'd make certain of that.' When LaToya asked Katherine for a.s.sistance, Katherine said, 'I don't want to get in the middle of it. It's between you and your father.'

Hoping to placate their daughter into remaining with Joseph, he and Katherine hired an outsider, Jack Gordon, to manage LaToya, under Joseph's direction. Her parents hoped that she would no longer feel as trapped. Jack, who was in his mid-forties had served time in prison for trying to bribe the Nevada State Gaming Commission. He has also been linked to underworld dealings and allegedly ran a brothel in Nevada for four years. In a short time, Jack became more than LaToya's business a.s.sociate. Before anyone in the family knew what was happening, he and LaToya were plotting a way to extricate her from Joseph and Katherine's hold.

'When I questioned him about some major expenses he and LaToya were running up on Joseph's account, Jack threatened my life,' Jerome Howard recalled. 'The man was dangerous, but LaToya felt that Joseph was dangerous, too. ”Do you know my father?” she asked me once. ”No, you don't,” she answered for me. ”You don't know what he's like, Jerome. You don't know what I've been been through.”' through.”'

In March 1988 just three days after Michael moved out of the Encino home LaToya took off with Jack Gordon. She took just two suitcases, left her Mercedes in the driveway, and didn't look back. The family blamed Jack. They all hated him, and he returned the animus. 'I love Joseph like poison,' Jack said.

In order to boost LaToya's career, Jack made the deal with Hugh Hefner that she would strip for a photo lay-out. He reported that she would receive a million dollars for disrobing. She probably was paid half as much. LaToya explained her decision, to Hollywood columnist Frank Swertlow: 'It was a matter of my letting my family know I am an individual and I want my independence. That's very difficult when you come from a large family and you've been controlled all of your life.'

When Katherine heard about the photo essay, she couldn't believe her ears. Neither could anyone else who had known LaToya. 'LaToya was always the puritanical one,' said longtime friend Joyce McCrae.

'I used to always cover my body from head to toe,' LaToya told Playboy Playboy. 'I guess my shyness came from growing up the way I did, being so sheltered and having a strict father.'

Katherine telephoned LaToya and asked if it was true. 'Are you posing for a Playboy Playboy centrefold? Please, 'Toya, tell me it's not true.' One wonders why Katherine even bothered. Did her famous children centrefold? Please, 'Toya, tell me it's not true.' One wonders why Katherine even bothered. Did her famous children ever ever tell her the truth about their activities? tell her the truth about their activities?

'Oh, Mother,' LaToya said, 'where do you hear these things? Of course it's not true.' She then did what Michael always did she blamed the media for lying about her. 'Don't believe what you hear, Mother,' she said. 'You should know better.'

Later LaToya would explain why she lied to Katherine. 'Mother did ask me if I had posed for Playboy Playboy. She asked very specifically, ”Did you pose for the Playboy Playboy centrefold?” I told her no, and that was the truth. I did pose for centrefold?” I told her no, and that was the truth. I did pose for Playboy Playboy but but not not for the centrefold. It was for elsewhere in the magazine.' for the centrefold. It was for elsewhere in the magazine.'

After speaking to LaToya, Katherine telephoned Michael and, with a sigh of relief, told him that everything the family had heard about her and Playboy Playboy was a lie manufactured by the media. However, Michael had already begun his own investigation into the matter and realized that there was more to the story. He decided to take matters into his own hands. was a lie manufactured by the media. However, Michael had already begun his own investigation into the matter and realized that there was more to the story. He decided to take matters into his own hands.

After making a few more telephone calls, Michael learned that a meeting at Hugh Hefner's mansion had been scheduled for the next day, regarding LaToya's pictorial. That day, he drove to the mansion and, under the guise of wanting to visit Hugh's menagerie of animals, snooped around the estate with one of his young friends. When he walked into one of the parlours, he found a group of men sitting around a table, nervously stuffing colour photographs into their briefcases. 'What's goin' on in here?' Michael asked with a 'caught ya' grin. Hugh walked over to Michael and shook his head. The two then had a discussion about LaToya, during which Hugh promised to send Michael the pictures by messenger later in the week, 'after they've been touched up.'

A week later, Michael received the photographs. 'I can't believe this is my sister,' he told a person who still works for Michael today. 'This ruins the family image. That's it. There's nothing left.'

Michael's employee said, 'All he cared about after seeing the pictures was his mother and her blood pressure. ”I'm afraid that when Kate sees these pictures, she'll have a heart attack,” he told me. ”I'm not even going to tell her I have them. Hopefully, they'll touch up 'Toya's, uh, her, uh, nipples, at least. I mean, do we have to see her nipples? nipples?”' Michael hoped that the photographs he received did not represent the actual lay-out. Perhaps all of them had not been utilized in it. Perhaps LaToya's nipples had had been camouflaged in some way. He telephoned LaToya. been camouflaged in some way. He telephoned LaToya.

She says he told her he thought the photos were lovely, which doesn't seem likely. When he asked if she had an advance of the final lay-out, she confessed that she did have it. Would she send it to him? No, she said.

A month later, the lay-out was published. Michael's worst fears about the spread of eleven photos were realized. Could that really be LaToya, posing nude with a sixty-pound boa constrictor slithering between her legs? 'Boas aren't dangerous unless they're hungry,' she observed in the accompanying text.

After the initial shock, there was shame and embarra.s.sment. Katherine and Rebbie were both humiliated; not only had Latoya disrobed, but she had clearly had some work done on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Whereas they had once been small, they were now... bountiful bountiful.

For Joseph, seeing his daughter sprawled out in Playboy Playboy with a snake was an agonizing experience. One of his friends claimed that he and Katherine sequestered themselves at Hayvenhurst for a month, not because they were afraid to be confronted but rather because they were heartsick over what LaToya had done to them. They also blamed Jack Gordon for convincing her that posing for with a snake was an agonizing experience. One of his friends claimed that he and Katherine sequestered themselves at Hayvenhurst for a month, not because they were afraid to be confronted but rather because they were heartsick over what LaToya had done to them. They also blamed Jack Gordon for convincing her that posing for Playboy Playboy would be a good career move. would be a good career move.

Michael, too, was irate with his sister, but not only for her career choice and the fact that she had further damaged the family's image. He certainly did not find artistic merit in the photographs and told one friend that, as far as he was concerned, they represented p.o.r.nography. However, Michael was more angry with LaToya because she publicly claimed that he had approved approved of the pictures, and was glad she had taken them. 'When he started hearing LaToya say on television that he was the only one in the family who approved, he went nuts,' said Steven Harris, a former a.s.sociate. 'He called his mother, and they had a long, painful conversation about it. ”How can I talk to her about anything if she twists what I say for her own purposes?” he asked. Katherine and Michael decided it was best if Michael never spoke to LaToya. He changed his number and didn't give it to her. Of course, she couldn't get it from anyone else in the family. No one would dare give it to her once Michael made it known that he didn't want her to have it. It was a shame. They had been so close.' of the pictures, and was glad she had taken them. 'When he started hearing LaToya say on television that he was the only one in the family who approved, he went nuts,' said Steven Harris, a former a.s.sociate. 'He called his mother, and they had a long, painful conversation about it. ”How can I talk to her about anything if she twists what I say for her own purposes?” he asked. Katherine and Michael decided it was best if Michael never spoke to LaToya. He changed his number and didn't give it to her. Of course, she couldn't get it from anyone else in the family. No one would dare give it to her once Michael made it known that he didn't want her to have it. It was a shame. They had been so close.'

'You know what?' he told his attorney, John Branca. 'I can't control her, just as they [presumably his family] can't control me. So, good for her, I guess. She did what she had to do and she didn't care about any of us, did she? When I do that kind of thing, they all come down on me, hard. So, good for her if she can take it. Good for her.' Michael then instructed the rest of his staff never to bring up the subject of LaToya's Playboy Playboy lay-out in his presence. 'I don't want to hear one more word about my sister's big b.r.e.a.s.t.s,' he concluded. 'I just want to forget the whole thing ever happened.' lay-out in his presence. 'I don't want to hear one more word about my sister's big b.r.e.a.s.t.s,' he concluded. 'I just want to forget the whole thing ever happened.'

A Million-dollar Bounty on Michael's Head.

'We need Michael Jackson.'

'We must have Michael Jackson.'

'How do we get Michael Jackson?”

In February 1989, faxed communications from Kenneth Choi flooded into Jerome Howard's office regarding the 'Jackson Moonie Project'. Still, no one wanted to approach Michael just yet; they were afraid he would give them an instant 'no,' and that would be the end of it. 'Finally, in desperation, the Koreans came up with an idea,' Jerome recalled, 'a reward. A bounty was placed on Michael's head. The price: one million dollars. Anyone family member or business a.s.sociate who could get Michael's signature on the contract would get a million dollars, money which would come straight from the Moonies. Now, everyone everyone wanted to approach Michael,' Jerome concluded with a chuckle, 'and right away.' wanted to approach Michael,' Jerome concluded with a chuckle, 'and right away.'

Katherine decided to take the proverbial bull by the horns and telephone Michael at Neverland to give it her best shot. As she gently tried to explain the proposed tour, feeding him information about it as gingerly as possible, Joseph stood nearby, pacing. Finally, he was about to burst. He s.n.a.t.c.hed the phone from her hand. 'Michael, now you listen here,' he declared. 'You said you wanted us to be a family again,' he said, referring to their last telephone conversation from j.a.pan. 'Now, look. I got these rich Koreans and they got this big deal and I want you to do this thing, Michael, 'cause we're gonna make a lot of money and we need need this money and you this money and you know know we do and ' we do and '

'Joseph, put Mother back on the phone.'

Michael then told Katherine to forget about it. He wouldn't even consider another family venture, especially if Joseph was involved in it. He reminded Katherine of the time (in 1985) when Joseph aligned with a Hollywood producer to develop a film based on 'Beat It' which was to star Michael and Michael didn't know anything about it. He later had to disavow the project which, he said, was embarra.s.sing. 'He's always doing things to get me involved in projects with him, and I'm not going along with it,' Michael said. He didn't want to tour with the brothers again, either. 'That's over,' he told his mother. 'I mean it,' he concluded. 'Forget it, Kat. [Michael often calls his mother 'Kat'.] I won't do it and I want you to please just drop it. Do you understand?'

The good ol' days when Katherine was able to convince Michael to do anything she asked of him were clearly in the past.

By February 1989, financial matters had gotten so desperate for Joseph and Katherine that they could no longer afford to pay Jerome Howard his salary; he had settled for $3,000 a month, even though they had originally agreed to pay him $10,000, and now he wasn't getting anything. Therefore, he became even more interested in concluding the Jackson Moonie Project not only to generate revenue for the family, but for himself, as well. He decided to go directly to Frank Dileo for a.s.sistance. Unfortunately, no one in the family knew how to get to Frank. The brothers barely knew him, and Katherine and Joseph never liked meeting with him about anything because, they claimed, he would then go back to Michael and misrepresent what they had said. Katherine, in particular, didn't like Frank especially after he said she was 'crazy' for thinking Michael could do a better show with his brothers.

Jerome finally had to pay an a.s.sociate of Frank's $2,000 for an introduction to Frank, who, as it turned out, was at a weight-reduction centre run by Duke University in North Carolina. Jerome called Frank and arranged a meeting for them with Kenneth Choi. It took place in a North Carolina hotel room at the end of February 1989. Frank told Kenneth that if Katherine was involved in the deal, he would talk to Michael about it. 'He loves his mother,' said Frank. 'I don't know. I ain't promisin' nothin'. But, maybe...' At that point, Kenneth opened his briefcase and took out two cas.h.i.+er's cheques made out for $500,000.

'These are for you,' he declared. 'A million dollars.'

Frank laughed in his face. 'I can't take a million bucks from you. What, are you crazy?' he said. 'I can't guarantee Michael Jackson will do anything for you. Michael is a smart man. He makes up his own mind. No one tells tells him to do anything. Do you understand that?' him to do anything. Do you understand that?'

As promised, Frank then discussed the situation with Michael. Michael said he didn't want to be involved. Frank told him to think it over, 'and maybe you'll change your mind, maybe you won't. It's your decision.'

'It was business as usual,' Frank recalled. 'Everything was hunky-dory.'

Michael and Frank were inseparable. He was prominently featured on the Bad Bad record jacket, a picture of him and Michael which was captioned 'another great team'. Michael also devoted a full page to photos of him and Frank in his lavish concert tour booklet. In fact, Frank had often said that he thought of Michael as a son, 'and he referred to me as a second dad.' record jacket, a picture of him and Michael which was captioned 'another great team'. Michael also devoted a full page to photos of him and Frank in his lavish concert tour booklet. In fact, Frank had often said that he thought of Michael as a son, 'and he referred to me as a second dad.'

'I was with the kid every day,' he recalled. 'Some days you could have a decent conversation with him. Some days he was on another planet. But I got closer to him than anybody else in his life,' Frank had even advised Michael about the taboo subject of plastic surgery, telling him that when he was a youngster he, too, had wanted a cleft in his chin like Kirk Douglas. 'But that's enough,' he told Michael. 'No more surgery.'

After five years of working for him, Frank Dileo may have thought he was in good standing with Michael Jackson, that their relations.h.i.+p was, as he put it, 'hunky-dory'. He would have been wrong.

Michael Fires Frank Dileo.

Three days after the brief telephone conversation about the Jackson Moonie Project, Frank Dileo was fired. Michael's publicist, Lee Solters, issued a terse statement: 'Michael Jackson and Frank Dileo have announced an amicable parting. Jackson said, ”I thank Frank for his contribution on my behalf during the past several years.”'

Perhaps Michael felt he had valid reasons for firing Frank, but he did it in a cowardly way: he had John Branca do it.

'Look, man, I hate to have to be the one to tell you this,' John said, 'but Michael doesn't want to work with you any more.'

'What? No s.h.i.+t? You're kiddin' me, right?'

'Sorry, Frank,' John told him. 'It's no joke.'

After some more discussion about the matter, Frank said, 'Okay, fine with me, then. I just want to get paid whatever is owed me, and then I'll be on my way.'

'Are you p.i.s.sed off, Frank?' John asked. He felt badly about it. He liked Frank and knew that Frank truly cared about Michael.